The Science of Story Experience

Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer’s Masterclass — Now Free with RSVP!

We’re thrilled to offer FREE registered admission for the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer’s Masterclass at UC San Diego — an immersive, day-long experience exploring the craft and power of speculative fiction. Whether you’re a writer, reader, or simply curious about how science, imagination, and storytelling collide, this is a unique opportunity to learn from acclaimed authors and artists.

In the Clarion Science Fiction and Fantasy Writer’s Masterclass events, attendees will have a chance to learn the fundamentals of speculative fiction from faculty and recent alumni of the selective Clarion Writers’ Workshop. Since 1968 Clarion has been the premier proving ground for writers of science, fiction, fantasy and horror, and now the public will have access to these instructors, their keen approaches to craft, their rich knowledge of the field, and their understanding of the traditions that have fed into the strong legacy Clarion has built over the years.

Clarion instructors include: T.K. Rex (The Wildcraft Drones), Sumayyah Beck (Airrelle of the Maroon Witches) and Keynote Speaker Erin R. Roberts.

Includes:

• Breakfast and Lunch
• Morning masterclass session
• Lunch Keynote speaker
• Afternoon masterclass session

Sign Up

Event Schedule – Tuesday, July 21, 2026

Morning Session:
T. K. Rex is a science fiction and fantasy author from the western states, whose stories can be read in more than forty publications, including their debut collection, The Wildcraft Drones, on shelves in May 2026. They attended Clarion in 2022, co-hosted the official podcast of the Writers Grotto for two years, and currently organize Stir, a seasonal reading series in San Francisco. T. K. frequently reads at literary events in the Bay Area and beyond, and has been invited to numerous podcasts, panels and lecture halls as both a fiction author and science communicator. The Wildcraft Drones has been described as “climate fiction with heart” by Publishers Weekly and “a much-needed vision” by Kim Stanley Robinson. Their story “Haunting Beauty” has been nominated for a Pushcart prize in 2026, and their second book, The Cursed Blade of Wek, is slated for publication in 2027 with Neon Hemlock. T. K.’s newsletter, press, and book tour dates can be found at tkrex.wtf.

Science in Science Fiction & Fantasy
You read that right. From N. K. Jemisin’s geophysics-inspired magic system in The Broken Earth trilogy, to the dinosaurs that so often roam sword and sorcery tales, scientific concepts are all over the fantasy genre. In science fiction, they often amount to magic, or the concepts are outdated, or the latest popular-science fad has become a blunt plot instrument (eg. “quantum” everything). In an era where science is getting defunded and attacked at every turn, let’s learn how to wield it effectively in our stories, avoid tired tropes and misinformation, and write more convincing worlds — magical and otherwise.

Lunch Keynote:

Erin Roberts tells stories across formats. Her short stories and interactive fiction have appeared in venues including Asimov’s, Clarkesworld, The Dark, and Strange Horizons; she’s given characters a voice in scripts for projects including Forge Your Quest and Zombies Run; and she’s written for more than 40 tabletop roleplaying game projects, including Nebula finalist Journeys through the Radiant Citadel. Along the way, she’s proud to have been named a Diana Jones Emerging Game Designer, attended the Hedgebrook and Storyknife writing residencies, and served as Toastmaster of the 2025 Nebula Awards, among other honors. When not writing, she enjoys talking about the craft, and is one of the co-hosts of the award-winning podcast Writing Excuses.

Speculative Fiction as Truth-Telling
A discussion on the craft of speculative fiction and its role in speaking urgent truths and holding up a mirror to society. As Ursula LeGuin said, “I think hard times are coming when we will be wanting the voices of writers who can see alternatives to how we live now — the realists of a larger reality.”

Afternoon Session:

Maya Beck is a lapsed Muslim, animanga oldhead, demipan demigirl, pastelcore bunnymom, socially-anxious social justice bard, and UCSD Literature MFA grad working on a day-job pivot to data analytics. An alum of writing programs including Clarion, Kimbilio, VONA, and Tin House; their writing can be found at Catapult, LitHub, Mizna, PANK, NAT BRUT, Strange Horizons, and more. Her debut novel AIRRELLE OF THE MAROON WITCHES is a middle-grade Ghibli-inspired Black witch fantasy that will be available in July 2026.

Dancing About Architecture: Embracing Interdisciplinary Inspiration and the Influence of Other Art Mediums
There’s a saying that “Writing about music is like dancing about architecture.” The implication is that it’s impossible to translate the nuances of one genre or medium into another, even as criticism. But what if that transformation is exactly the point? This session will explore how to lean into the strengths of the written word while taking influence from other artistic media, whether manga, movies, or music.